Breakeven
by An Elegant Chaos
Summary: The story of a relationship, told in two perspectives and the events of one cold night. Lyrics from the song Breakeven by the Script incorporated.


Disclaimer: All characters owned by Hiro Fujiwara, all lyrics owned by the Script. Literary license has been taken with both.

~Breakeven~

_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing_  
_Just prayed to a God that I don't believe in_

He was struck down with love, sick, even. He didn't know how, when or why he'd fallen, but Takumi did know that he was one hundred percent, totally, and completely in love with Ayuzawa Misaki. He lay awake at night, struggling fruitlessly to release her from his thoughts. He had said his prayers, but hadn't meant a word. Inside himself, he was wondering. About _her_, she who had so invaded his being.

_'Cause I got time while she got freedom_  
_'Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even_

He had boundless amounts of time, school was not a trial for him. Yet she worked so incredibly hard, giving every single thing she did her all. She was the demon president, model student, and maid extraordinaire. Takumi smiled. Oh, how he loved everything about her. She was so free, to live out her dreams. He? He was nothing but a pawn to his powerful, condescending family. He did not ask for this- he wanted nothing more than to be with her every single moment of every day, as he had so many times told her. The trappings of the family he would very soon have to face broke his heart.

_Her best days were some of my worst_  
_She finally met a man that's gonna put her first_

Then, along came the Shintani boy. A childhood friend, and nothing more, she had said. But he could see the light in her eyes when she was around him, the youth that shone through all the pain she had borne since those carefree years. And Takumi began to think. His past was his secret and his fault alone, and nothing he should burden anyone else with. He could tell that the infuriating Shintani could give everything to Misaki, more than he was afraid he could. Would that not be a better future for her?

_While I'm wide awake she's no trouble sleeping_

As he lay there on his couch in the middle of the desolately empty apartment, Takumi was sure Misaki was at home, safe and sound in her bed and dreaming peacefully. Little did he know how wrong he was.

* * *

In another part of the city, a raven haired girl walked through a dark alleyway. Misaki had been wandering slightly aimlessly for a while now, consumed by her thoughts. Snow was falling lightly, and she tugged the scarf a little tighter around her neck. She smiled softly. It was _his_. He had insisted she take it (and not return it) only the week before. Misaki hadn't washed it since- it smelled like him. Though she would never admit it to anyone else, it was he who had so completely conquered her logic, and left her wandering the streets, ambling in the direction of her home. That ridiculous alien, who had left her sleepless so many nights.

A blast of chilled wind brought Misaki sharply out of her reverie, causing her to look up and realize that she had, in fact, wandered into a rather remote part of town. Changing direction, she decided to take a shortcut through a short alley, still oblivious to the black car that had been following her for the past hour.

* * *

_'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even... even... no_

Takumi had almost convinced himself to give way to sleep when the phone rang. Startled, he glanced at the clock. Who in their right mind would call at this hour? It was nearly one in the morning. Peering blearily at the caller ID, he frowned. Why was someone from the Ayuzawa house calling him now? Now fully awake, Takumi answered with a curious, "Hello?"

"Ah, Usui-kun," he heard Suzuna's voice say. "I apologize for calling at such an inconvenient time. Misaki has not yet arrived home, we were just making sure that she is with you."

Takumi's eyes widened with surprise. "No, Suzuna, I'm afraid she is not here, but I was sure she would have been home by now. Have you called the café? Perhaps she has stayed extra late…"

"Yes, we have tried Satsuki-san's place. There was no answer."

His heart clenched with fear.

* * *

As she was turning a corner, an icy hand clamped over Misaki's mouth. With a muffled exclamation of surprise, she was shoved against the wall of the alley, her hands held behind her. A man stepped into her line of vision, a man with shockingly familiar green eyes, butwith none of other features she knew and loved so well.

"Are you the one called Ayuzawa?" the black-haired stranger asked, and an achingly familiar smirk crossed his face when her eyes widened with surprise and recognition of the name.

"Oh yes, that bastard will come for her," he said, a cruel glint in his eyes. A flicker of recognition, of something Takumi had once said flickered through her panicked mind.

_Takumi? _

Misaki could not see the other person who was restraining her, but she heard a man's voice say, "Shall I bind her, sir?" The other responded, "Yes, and into the car, Ceddy, if you please."

'Ceddy' bound andgagged a violently struggling Misaki, her scarf falling off in the process. With a rising panic, Misaki watched the car roll away from the forgotten article. She felt tears and bile rising in her throat. Who were these people? What did they want with her? And most importantly, what did they have to do with Takumi? The terror finally consuming her, Misaki could latch on to only one coherent thought as the world faded to black. _Takumi, please. Help me._

_What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?_

He drove quickly the many routes she could possibly have taken from the café. She had gotten lost, they had decided, as uncharacteristic as that was of Misaki. Mostly, Takumi thought, that reasoning was to keep them all from panicking. He was swerving through a rather remote part of town, about to turn around when a spot of color on the black and white landscape caught his eye. He slowed next to the entrance to an alleyway, a colored fabric near the curb. A scarf. No, his scarf.

He swiftly rounded the car, his breath fogging in the air. He knew that scarf. He himself had given it to Misaki scarcely a week ago. He wanted to smile at the memory (she hadn't taken it off since), but he felt too much guilt. He should have been there to protect her, make sure nothing could happen to her, scoop her up if she so much as stumbled. But he hadn't been. His mind turned back to the article in his hands. What could have happened that would have caused her to leave it there? His stomach twisted at the thought, and something occurred to him.

His family, no, his _mother's _family, had been trying to contact him for weeks now. He had stubbornly ignored them, all the while knowing that eventually he would have to face them. He had no idea they would have taken action this drastic, nor this sudden. Anger flashed in the emerald eyes, and the strong hands gripped the scarf tightly. They had brought _her_ into this, the one person he had been most anxious to separate from any unhappiness. They must have been in league with someone, someone who could identify her, someone heartless enough to agree to it. _Tora_, his mind produced. Yes, that had to be it. And therefore, they would have taken her to Miyabigaoka. That was the only plausible occurrence, and he knew he had to be right.

_They say bad things happen for a reason_  
_But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding_

She had no idea where she was. Well, that wasn't entirely correct. She vaguely remembered it, but the darkness and lingering panic wouldn't allow her to place it. She had finally worked the gag out of her mouth, but had long since stopped her cries for help. There was no one there. Adjusting her eyes to the darkness, she recalled. Yes, she knew this place. It was Miyabigaoka, where, she didn't know. She only hoped and prayed that he would come for her. It was all she could do within the locked room that was cold, oh so cold.

* * *

He drove like a madman, through some of the city's richest neighborhoods at one o'clock in the morning. At any other time, it would have been slightly amusing. But right now, it was only she that mattered. His heart bled with remorse and love for her. Bursting in through the door he knew would be unlocked, Takumi stepped into the lobby. "Where is she, Gerard."

This was not a question, but a statement. It was directed to the black haired man standing across the room, hands in his pockets. Rage building inside him, Takumi stalked over to stand a few feet away from his half brother. "Release her, now."

Gerard gave a smirk. It seemed that it ran in the family. "She's perfectly fine, for now, dear brother. But, that basement is awfully chilly at this time of year, don't you think?" An animalistic growl tore itself from Takumi, coinciding with an almost audible snap within him. He swung his fist, perfectly aimed to collide with Gerard's face, only to be halted by the iron grip of Cedric. "Yes, yes, you can have your precious girlfriend back, as long as you agree to a few of our terms," the man said coolly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "What do you want, Gerard? If you want me to go back with you, I'll do it, just give her back to me." Takumi said, taking back his fist, his demeanor not denoting anything except a barely contained rage. His brother smirked once more. "Excellent, your flight leaves in two days."

_And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?_

Misaki heard pounding footsteps approaching the door to the room, and she dared to hope. "Takumi?" she called, her voice raspy and her head fuzzy from the cold. As her surroundings began to fade to black for the second time that night, the last thing she beheld was the personage of her thoughts and his piercing green eyes, alight with relief and- love? She could no longer see enough to tell.

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah,_  
_I'm falling to pieces_

Almost instantaneously, he had made it across the wide room and gathered her up into his arms, her petite body shaking and lips blue from the cold. He shook her, needing to know that she was okay. Blearily, she opened her eyes a fraction and whispered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Baka."

Sighing in relief, he carried her to his car, the news of his departure weighing heavily on his mind and the ticket weighing heavily in his pocket. He forcefully pushed those thoughts from his mind. She was all that mattered right now. She would be alright, and he swore to himself and to whatever supreme being existed that no harm would ever come to her again. He would always be there by her side. He was hers, and she was his, and in that moment that was all they needed.

_What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you?_  
_And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're OK?_  
_(Oh glad you're okay now)_  
_I'm falling to pieces, yeah_  
_I'm falling to pieces, yeah_  
_(Oh I'm falling, falling)_  
_I'm falling to pieces_

**A/N: Hi guys, hope you enjoyed reading my story. It was an idea that had been bouncing around in my head for a little while, mostly because I love the song :) I finally just got fed up with it and decided to write it down, soo… here we are! **

**Please review, and I am not simply asking because the novelty of a review appeals to me (although I must admit that it is quite attractive), nor because I wish to gain popularity. No, I am indeed requesting your genuine feedback, as this is one of my first stories and I am slightly insecure about sharing my work. Also, I am wondering whether it is the opinion of the populace that I ought to add at least another chapter to this story, or leave it as a one shot. To me, it seems to end a bit abruptly and hastily, but then again perhaps that is simply me, miring in my self-criticism...**

**To conclude this obnoxiously long author's note (are these even read?), I would like to thank you once again for reading, and wish you all a beauteous day. **

**~An Elegant Chaos~ **


End file.
